Changed
by mystic-water
Summary: After regaining control over Ba Sing Se, the new gAang takes a few days rest, allowing Zuko and Katara for some much needed alone time. But they are soon interrupted by a familiar face, causing tensions to run high. Zutara minor Jetara. PostFinale


**Title:** Changed

**Pairing:** Zutara (onesided Jetara)

**Rating:** PG-13 (swearing)

**Summary:** After regaining control of the Earth Kingdom, with the help of Iroh and his nephew, the gAang takes a few days rest, allowing both Zuko and Katara some much needed alone-time together. But they are soon interrupted by a familiar face, causing tensions to run high. AU/Post-Finale. Minor Spoilers

**AN:** just a sweet zutara oneshot post-season 2 finale. Every drabble/oneshot that's been post finale seems to be circulating around dark/angst!zutara. So I decided to spice things up a bit, with fluffy/action/jealousy enjoy.

* * *

It was late, it was cold, and he really had to pee.

Zuko stood off in the distance, enjoying the sweet release, enjoying the silence of the night, minus the hissing from his… never mind. Needless to say it was nice having a break from the loud snores that, more often than not, came from Sokka and his Uncle rather than the Avatar's flying bison, much to his surprise.

The Avatar was too innocent to understand why he and the water tribe girl wanted alone time, if only for a night. And with that blind earth-bender far from sight, Zuko could rest easier knowing she wasn't _watching_ his every move towards the water-bender sleeping in his sleeping bag.

Shaking himself once, twice, he zipped back up, and headed back towards Katara, and the dark figure that was looming over her… wait, what?

It was dark, and with the campfire long since extinguished, he could barely make out that it was indeed a male figure. The stranger was gently shaking his girl by the shoulder, the whisper of her name on the stranger's lips. Whoever the stranger was, he personally knew the water-bender, but that wasn't going to stop Zuko from reacting violently.

Lunging forward, he managed to tackle the man away from Katara, and slammed him roughly to the ground a few feet away. "What's your business with Katara?" He demanded in a hushed tone, silently thanking the Spirits that Katara was a deep sleeper.

"That's none of _your_ business!" The teen snapped back (it was indeed a teen, he could tell from the tone of voice), his dark eyes flickering in the moonlight.

"Insolent brat! Answer my question." Zuko couldn't restrain himself. Something about this teen made him want to bash his skull against a stone wall. He felt the sudden urge to protect Katara from the guy; something was telling Zuko to keep him as far away from the girl as possible. Raising his right hand, he bended his fire until it engulfed his fist in flame, holding it above the strangers head in a promising threat.

Both Zuko and the stranger beneath him gasped, they had met before. It had been nearly a month now, but there was no mistaking it. The light from the flames flickered over the intruder's face, and the familiarity struck Zuko like a chord. "You!"

Jet.

Disgust crossed over the familiar face. "I knew it! You are Fire nation!" He screamed, throwing his body weight up and tackling Zuko, not before landing a right hook to the prince's jaw. "What are you doing with Katara, you slime!?" Jet bellowed, getting to his feet and drawing a pair of scythes.

Zuko cursed, rubbing his jaw as he got to his feet; his glare levelling with the dark-haired teen. It was now quiet clear Jet remembered Zuko and cared about Katara on some personal level to be this protective of her. This sparked a feeling in Zuko's gut that didn't bode well. He wanted nothing more than to tear this irritating brat apart.

"Katara wake up! I'll hold the fire nation slime off, while you escape!"

Zuko rolled his eyes watching the sleepy brunette slowly sit up with a yawn. "Zuko?" She mewled sleepily, rubbing her tired eyes. He took notice and pride that her clothes hung loosely about her body from being ravished a mere few hours ago. And it angered him all the same that Jet got to take in Katara's figure when he had no Angi damn right to.

"Screw this!" Zuko came forward, sending a fire ball in Jet's direction, in hopes to scare him off. If anything it only angered him further.

Dodging the flame, Jet came around at Zuko from his left, he was fast. Swinging his scythes in the means to kill, Zuko barely had enough time to roll out of the way, before sending another fire blast his way. He had fought Jet before, it was too bad his dual-swords were by Katara, otherwise he could have dealt with Jet quickly and quietly.

"Oh my god!" He heard a faint gasp from behind, before he found himself and the intruder, frozen to opposite trees.

"Katara what are you doing?" Dark hair fell in front of his angry eyes, as Jet struggled against the water-bender's frozen restraints. "Run!" He demanded angrily.

"Jet? What are you doing here?" The girl slowly approached the familiar face, completely ignoring Zuko for the moment. "You're alive…"

Zuko frowned. Katara looked relieved to see him. This didn't bode well with Zuko in the least.

Jet narrowed his eyes past Katara at the fire-bender frozen to the tree. "I came looking for you, Katara. I passed by Aang and your brother; they told me which direction you went off to. They said nothing of you being held hostage, so I assumed this slime must have got to you while you were alone."

Katara actually laughed out loud at this. True she was happy to see Jet alive, but to have him assume Zuko was holding her hostage… It was ridiculous to say the least. She wrapped her kimono-styled shirt closer about her body, considering the circumstances.

"If anything Jet, he would be **my** hostage. I have the advantage over fire-benders at night time." She sneered teasingly, glancing back at Zuko with an emphasis that made the exiled prince growl. "You should know I wouldn't let a single fire-bender take me hostage-"

"It happened before." Zuko cut in to remind the girl, who merely rolled her eyes at the memory.

"My point is, Jet, I'm out here willingly. Zuko and I just needed a break from the rest of the group." She said calmly, blatantly ignoring Zuko's muttering.

Jet frowned, his dark eyes glancing between the two benders. "That doesn't explain why you are out here willingly, alone no less, with fire nation slime!" He yelled angrily, not understanding how Katara could be in the same company as the race that killed her mother.

"Zuko and his Uncle are traveling with us, and are teaching Aang fire-bending to help us overthrow the Fire Lord." Katara said, giving Jet a small smile he hadn't seen in over a year. When he had met up with her in Ba-Sing-Se she was less the pleased to see him, and most of the time she was yelling at him or glaring at him. But to see her so happy… with a fire-bender no less…

She seemed genuinely happy about this idea.

"That doesn't explain why you are _alone_ with _him_!"

Rolling his eyes, Zuko melted the ice confining him, watching the steam evaporate before his eyes. Zuko's glare locked with the teen thief, still held against the tree, as the prince approached the water-bender girl from behind. "I'm her boyfriend, that's _why_. And believe it or not we would like some _alone_ time." He snarled protectively, snaking his arms about Katara's waist.

"Zuko." She chastised softly, "Be nice." Katara untangled his arms from around her waist so she could take a few steps towards Jet. Her fingers lingered at his skin before she pulled away completely. "Look Jet, I'm very relieved to see you alive, but you need to understand that this is what I want." She said softly.

"How can _he_ possibly be what you want? Katara, he's fire nation!" Jet said angrily, struggling against the ice. Katara knew Jet wanted nothing more than to kill Zuko in this moment.

"I accept who he is, Jet. He's changed..." She glanced back at Zuko and met his eyes with her own. Jet could not even begin to imagine how much Zuko had changed. She once thought the Prince had changed for the worse, siding with his sister briefly during the coup of Ba Sing Se.

They later learned it was his and Iroh's plan to overthrow his sister and return the city to the Earth King, proving where their loyalties lie in the war.

"So have I!" Jet yelled angrily, "I've changed too Katara! Why can't you see that?!" He demanded, "You trust this slime, but not me? What about us?"

Her expression softened at the desperation in his tone. "Jet we're over... There is no us. Not anymore..."

Zuko growled at this; so these two were more than _'just friends'_ at one point. He felt oddly sick.

"Katara... Why?" Jet was no longer acknowledging Zuko, he looked almost lost now.

Katara sighed heavily, stopping Zuko before he could snap at the delusional teen iced to the tree. "My heart belongs to someone else... if you truly have changed Jet, you'll understand why, and you'll respect my decision."

Zuko watched as Katara bended the ice back into its liquid form, releasing Jet from the tree. He stood there unmoving for several moments, before glaring hard at Zuko, then stalking away, back in the general direction from which he came.

Katara exhaled loudly. And smiled faintly, feeling his breath across the back of her neck.

Change is what made it all worth it. Water is the element of change; people of the water tribe are capable of adapting to many things. She adapted to the fact that Zuko was no longer the enemy; he was just a lost soul, who lost both his mother and his identity to the fire nation. Zuko was like her in many ways, but also very different, but he was also willing to change. And Katara was willing to give up the Oasis water in order to bring about a better change for Zuko; she was willing to do many things for that Zuko in the cave.

She was willing to accept him and embrace him with open arms when they were in the cave.

But when he sided with Azula, she never felt more betrayed. She remembered for those brief few days after the battle against him and his sister, when she was sure Zuko had lied to her, when she was sure he gained Katara's trust for naught. Seeing him side with his sister, she felt her heart break; she was so angry.

And when he overthrew his sister, she felt both relief and stupid for doubting him in the first place.

And when he came to explain himself to her, she wouldn't let him. Instead she hugged him, she held him and she cried. She held him for a long time, and he held her too. She didn't need to hear his excuses or his reasons for attacking her or why it was necessary to gain Azula's trust. For Katara didn't care for the reason's he could offer her, as long as he didn't betray her again.

"Katara?" His voice brought her back to the present.

"I'm fine." She turned to face him, arms snaking up around his neck. "You're still here, so I'm fine."

He gave her a bemused look through the dark. "Why would I leave?" He frowned.

She sighed softly, leaning her head against his chest. "You wouldn't. You've changed."

His expression softened at this, she had been thinking about that day again. He decided to direct her attention else where. "So who does your heart belong to anyway?" He asked playfully.

She hit him lightly at the shoulder. "Stop being an ass. You know my heart is only yours." She whispered against his throat, snuggling closer to him.

"And why would it belong to me?" He prodded again.

She rolled her eyes. "You know why." She pulled away and walked back towards the dimly lit fire.

He followed closely after her. "Tell me again." He almost laughed when she shot a glare at him. "I've forgotten."

She climbed into their sleeping bags, and turned her back on him. "How could you forget something like that _Prince_ Zuko? Are you too good for me now?"

She felt him climb beside her, and bring her body closer to his. "No, but you may be too good for me." He whispered against her ear. "I just happen to love hearing you say it. So tell me why, again, Katara."

She turned over to smile up at him, brushing his hair out from his eyes. "I love you; that is why my heart belongs to you and only you…" she sighed when he kissed her deeply.

"And I love you." He whispered against her lips.

"You really are too good for me." Katara smiled sleepily.

"Maybe." He joked, flexing his muscles, before pinning her beneath him. She let out a soft squeal of laughter. "But you're the only one I want." He paused for a moment, "And Angi help me if I ever see Jet trying to hit on you again!"

She let out a loud laugh at this. "Have I told you how sexy you are when you get jealous?" She grinned, ruffling his dark, already messy, hair.

"I'm not jealous!" Zuko said indignantly. "He's no comparison to me anyway. He just got on my nerves, declaring his undying love to you, when it's clear you're not interested and have better prospects at your beck and call."

"Really? You're at my beck and call?" Katara grinned and tried hard not to laugh at his expression.

He quickly ignored that. "And he's a shitty fighter. How the hell is he supposed to protect you?"

"Protect me? Excuse me; I can fend for myself _your Majest_y!" Katara huffed as Zuko kept venting.

"And lets face it, no one can get you moaning like I can."

"Zuko!!"

"What?"

"You're jealous." She said flatly, trying to hide a small smile.

He diverted his gaze. "I am not."

She reached up, and tried to pull him down for another kiss, but his arms remained locked. He watched her as she traced her fingers up his toned stomach, and then gently brushed his messy hair from his eyes. "It's cute." She whispered.

Zuko finally leaned down to kiss her, before muttering, "You're mine anyway."

* * *

**_Read and Review!_** --believe it or not I actually started writing this oneshot looong before the finale, ive just kinda added and edited it to fit the canon.


End file.
